Parents who “share” their kids at Xmas

We take turns. This year they’ll be waking up at hers, then round mine and to my mams for dinner. Means I can go out on Xmas eve which is nice. Last year was the other way round.
No nee for a second Xmas day unless you live miles away imho.
 


I was like that last year mate and was fairly miserable Christmas Eve but just decided to not dwell on it, pop out for an afternoon pint and then treat it like any other day (I tried to avoid Christmas telly stuff and put the odd box set on). Boxing Day was class her with her.
I'll have it again next year.

Popping for a pint xmas eve is good, especially if you have mates in a similar position.
 
We take turns, whoever has my daughter on Christmas eve and morning, the other picks them up and has dinner with her. Alternate each year.

Was torture not waking up with her when she was younger, not so much now that she’s 15...plus I have two others now to keep that excitement alive.
 
I was like that last year mate and was fairly miserable Christmas Eve but just decided to not dwell on it, pop out for an afternoon pint and then treat it like any other day (I tried to avoid Christmas telly stuff and put the odd box set on). Boxing Day was class her with her.
I'll have it again next year.
I’ll be coming to meet you on the afternoon. Just stay out til 11 and have a nice lie in Xmas day like I will.
 
At that age, any time you've got with them will be fantastic for them. Make the most of it.

My bitch of an ex made it very clear that if I wanted to see my kids over Christmas it had to be at her place on her terms. I stuck it for several years until I got to the stage of wanting to spend time with my new partner (now wife) on Christmas Day too. It all came to a head on one awful Christmas Day when I ended up having TWO Christmas dinners just to please everyone.

Since then I've not see my kids on Christmas Day or Boxing Day for 10 years, they just come over and get their pressies a coupe of days earlier. Even though they are in their early 20's now it still hurts.

Divorced parents (and lets be honest its usually the mother) who use Christmas as a weapon are f'kin scum.
Feel for you, there, mate. :(

I am the opposite. I am 72 and the daughters try to split me in two
Then not get a insurance payout after that, surely?:lol:
 
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2nd year for me after a terrible Xmas last year. The arrangement was for me to come over on Christmas morning and see my little boy open his presents and then go and do my own thing and then pick him up at about 5pm. This way we split the cost of the presents and all was well. 3 days before Christmas she took a dislike to something I said (a common issue) and pulled me from coming over. I had 3 days to go and get presents etc so that my son who was 3 didn’t think that Santa just didn’t bother coming to his Daddy’s.
I turned up at 5pm as she had instructed after spending the day on my own, only for her to tell me she wasn’t ready yet and made me sit in the car for half an hour.
This year I made it very clear that after what she did last Christmas that I would be having him over night Christmas eve and would drop him off at 5pm Christmas day. She shit herself and after leaving her for a couple of weeks to dwell on it she invited me over for the day and to have dinner there. I have made sure this time that I’ve got half his presents at mine in case she pulls the rug from under me again.
Only really works as we are both still single but I pretty much get walked over for the sake of making sure I have the best possible relationship with my little boy.
 
When we were kids we'd have our Xmas with my dad on boxing day. Got to wake up excited two days in a row!

I used to have Christmas Day with me mam and Boxing Day with me da.

Still do.

There was a couple of years when I was a bit older where I'd go over me dad's on Christmas night n get me presents then anarl, but it's always mainly been Boxing Day.

Ideal really when ya a bairn like - two Christmases. :cool:

We did this as well. We'd have Christmas day with my mam, over to my Nana and Granda with auntys/uncles/cousins and that on the afternoon. Same again boxing day but over my Gran's house to see my da's side. I'm 35 and we still do it this way now :lol:.
 
2nd year for me after a terrible Xmas last year. The arrangement was for me to come over on Christmas morning and see my little boy open his presents and then go and do my own thing and then pick him up at about 5pm. This way we split the cost of the presents and all was well. 3 days before Christmas she took a dislike to something I said (a common issue) and pulled me from coming over. I had 3 days to go and get presents etc so that my son who was 3 didn’t think that Santa just didn’t bother coming to his Daddy’s.
I turned up at 5pm as she had instructed after spending the day on my own, only for her to tell me she wasn’t ready yet and made me sit in the car for half an hour.
This year I made it very clear that after what she did last Christmas that I would be having him over night Christmas eve and would drop him off at 5pm Christmas day. She shit herself and after leaving her for a couple of weeks to dwell on it she invited me over for the day and to have dinner there. I have made sure this time that I’ve got half his presents at mine in case she pulls the rug from under me again.
Only really works as we are both still single but I pretty much get walked over for the sake of making sure I have the best possible relationship with my little boy.

Resident parent holds all the cards. The old last minute huffy change of heart is pretty typical. And it will only get worse when you dare to start another relationship.
 
Resident parent holds all the cards. The old last minute huffy change of heart is pretty typical. And it will only get worse when you dare to start another relationship.

Ive given up with the idea of another relationship to be honest at the moment. Im 31 and am pretty happy with the setup. My lad is going to be 5 in Jan and its getting to the point now where he prefers to be at mine than hers. I have him every Tuesday night and then one night over the weekend and the follwing day. If i meet someone then ill cross that bridge when I come it but I cant be arsed with the hassle to be honest.
 
2nd year for me after a terrible Xmas last year. The arrangement was for me to come over on Christmas morning and see my little boy open his presents and then go and do my own thing and then pick him up at about 5pm. This way we split the cost of the presents and all was well. 3 days before Christmas she took a dislike to something I said (a common issue) and pulled me from coming over. I had 3 days to go and get presents etc so that my son who was 3 didn’t think that Santa just didn’t bother coming to his Daddy’s.
I turned up at 5pm as she had instructed after spending the day on my own, only for her to tell me she wasn’t ready yet and made me sit in the car for half an hour.
This year I made it very clear that after what she did last Christmas that I would be having him over night Christmas eve and would drop him off at 5pm Christmas day. She shit herself and after leaving her for a couple of weeks to dwell on it she invited me over for the day and to have dinner there. I have made sure this time that I’ve got half his presents at mine in case she pulls the rug from under me again.
Only really works as we are both still single but I pretty much get walked over for the sake of making sure I have the best possible relationship with my little boy.

Get her arse in court, she can't do what she wants. It took me two years but I nearly got custody of mine and now she can't fart unless it's in the court order
 
Isnt it a massive ball ache? I have been tempted in the past.

Less of a ball ache the driving 5 hours to pick them up just to have it cancelled as.youre nearly there.

Less of a ball ache of not knowing when you're going to see them.

It's a faff, and can cost money. Butnthe courts default position now is you should get every other weekend plus half the holidays, if that's what you want.

Depending on her whims and favour is exhauasting. A court order cuts the bullshit games out.
 
This year will be the first year that I won’t be waking up with the kids on Xmas morning. They’re only 5 so xmas is a big exciting thing for them still.
I’m not complaining about the time I’m getting with them or anything, me and the ex get on well and what we’ve arranged is fair for everyone.

Just wondering from people in the same boat, when do you do the present opening? I’ll be picking them up late morning so there’s time to do it then before dinner, but a few people I’ve spoke to have suggested having our own “Xmas morning” but on Boxing Day?
We always did it on christmas day like. You won't be able to contain the excitement mate, just get on with it! Then watch them play on boxing day while cracking open a case of beers
 

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